Police arrest man accused of kicking police horse

The Associated Press

Posted:
07/10/2014 02:00:37 PM CDT

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This undated image provided by the Portland Police department shows Olin, a police horse involved in a kicking incident, Wednesday July 9, 2014 in Portland, Ore. Police say they have arrested a 29-year-old man accused of running up to Olin and uttering a "karate-like battle cry" and delivering what a spokesman calls "a jumping, double kick" to the horse's right thigh. Police say the horse was unfazed and unhurt. (AP Photo/Portland Police Department)

PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) — Police in Portland, Oregon, say they have arrested a 29-year-old man accused of running up to a police horse, uttering a "karate-like battle cry" and delivering what a spokesman calls "a jumping, double kick" to the horse's right thigh.

Police say the horse named Olin was unfazed and unhurt Wednesday. A police spokesman notes Olin outweighed his attacker by about 1,000 pounds.

Olin and his human partner took Joseph Cruz into custody for investigation of interfering with a law enforcement animal. The man was also wanted on an unrelated arrest warrant.

The incident happened as mounted officers patrolled Portland's Old Town, near a bus depot. They had stopped to speak to a group of people.